Of course, projection is the defense mechanism people use to suppress their own impulses by transferring them to someone else, in this case violent impulses. The American Revolution was violent. Who precipitated that violence — freedom-loving patriots or King George III? And what is the difference between life under a king and life under a ruling class of politicians, bureaucrats, academics, bankers, and crony capitalists?

In an editorial, this paper said that the safeguard of freedom is peaceful transfer of power. Tell that to the Cubans after Fidel Castro gave the keys to the prison to brother Raul.

In this country, the safeguard of individual freedom is the Bill of Rights. Sadly, to read it is to recognize that we are living in a post-constitutional era.

To varying degrees, all of those amendments have been violated over the years, particularly since 9/11: The Patriot Act, warrantless surveillance, imprisonment without charges or a speedy trial, renditions, torture and the drone killing of Anwar al-Awlaki, an American citizen.

In his column, Tom Eblen states that nobody has had his gun confiscated. That is false; it occurred widely in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Four of eight remaining Supreme Court justices do not believe that owning a gun is an individual right. Hillary Clinton was recorded stating that the Heller decision, which acknowledges that right, was wrongly decided.

Is there any doubt what a Clinton presidency would do to the court and the Second Amendment? If a government agent gets killed trying to confiscate the gun of a law-abiding citizen, who initiated the violence? Just asking.

The legislative process has been usurped. Thousands of regulations flow yearly out of Washington’s bureaucracies without congressional oversight. Executive orders, used by presidents to go around Congress, have been particularly egregious under President Barack Obama, wielding “his pen and his phone.”

Clinton has promised to go even further, and Donald Trump says he will use executive orders “to do a lot of things.” This usurpation of power should make all Americans nervous.

The biggest freedom-killer is the Federal Reserve. Your savings are deferred freedom. The Fed’s policy of constant inflation steals that freedom. The Fed enables politicians to borrow money to pass laws and wage war for campaign contributions, and to trade goodies for votes. If the money is ever paid back, it is with devalued currency.

By pegging the interest rate at near zero since the Great Recession, the Fed has stolen trillions of dollars from savers and public and private pension systems. Those savings are the fuel of capitalism needed for the future creation of wealth and jobs. Worldwide, central bankers have sold trillions of dollars of bonds with zero and negative interest rates, destroying another pillar of capitalism — the time value of money.

To be punished, rather than rewarded, for loaning money is a violation of a natural law of economics. People are now hoarding cash rather than investing it. Of course, the ruling class is now discussing banning cash — the last remnant of financial privacy and freedom.

The progressives (Democrats and establishment Republicans) constantly seek to centralize power and control in the hands of the ruling class.

Bevin is correct. Unchecked, power and control will continue to flow to the ruling class, egged on by the progressives. Our wealth and our freedoms will continue to be stolen. Given the federal government’s debt, spending and promises, a financial contraction is increasingly likely. If the contraction is sudden and severe, violence may ensue.